SUPER League's high achievers, not only in 2020 but over the lengths of careers, have been recognised at tonight's Steve Prescott Man of Steel Awards event.
From the leading try scorer and top tackler, to those servants of the game who have become household names in the toughest of circumstances, the unprecedented 2020 season is drawing to a conclusion in traditional style - with tonight's end-of-season ceremony to be followed by the Grand Final on Friday.
Awards:
Paul McShane, right, chosen by Ellery Hanley as the 2020 Man of Steel. Picture: SWpix.com
𝙋𝘼𝙐𝙇 𝙈𝘾𝙎𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙀: 𝙈𝘼𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙀𝙇
— Castleford Tigers (@CTRLFC) November 23, 2020
Castleford Tigers' star hooker Paul McShane has been named the Steve Prescott MBE #ManOfSteel for the 2020 Betfred Super League season! 🐅
👏 Congratulations @mcshane_paul! #ReadyToRoar | #COYF
🤝 Adrian Lam is Super League Coach of the Year for 2020. pic.twitter.com/4oM9HQ7UdM
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) November 23, 2020
The 2020 @Betfred Young Player of the Year@leedsrhinos' Harry Newman 👌 #SuperLeague #SuperLeagueAwards pic.twitter.com/qAkxZtanDn
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) November 23, 2020
The 2020 Spirit of #SuperLeague award
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) November 23, 2020
Mose Masoe & Rob Burrow 🙌 #SuperLeagueAwards pic.twitter.com/mml8D8V642
The 2020 top try scorer@leedsrhinos' @Ahandley16 👏 #SuperLeagueAwards #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/hAUktum24y
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) November 23, 2020
The 2020 top tackler @Giantsrl's @m_lawrence90 💪 #SuperLeagueAwards #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/cGcr7LZs9V
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) November 23, 2020
More on tonight's winners:
An incredible fightback to the toughest of setbacks in January, @MoseMasoe also receives the 2020 Spirit of Super League Award. pic.twitter.com/nMA4dUpgeE
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) November 23, 2020
Ends of career:
We say goodbye to some legends at the end of the 2020 season 🥺
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) November 23, 2020
Thank you for everything #SuperLeagueAwards #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/ELiSXH1vuY
Reaction to follow:
Congratulations Paul McShane. #ManOfSteel pic.twitter.com/DEPVC3RFlV
— Peter Elliott (@Wiganer_pete) November 23, 2020
Really? 🤔 Great player, but the best in Super League this year... #ManOfSteel #SuperLeague https://t.co/uFt97JbIBE
— Andrew Robinson (@ajrobbo9) November 23, 2020
#manofsteel is now a farce, its now picking the best standout in a rubbish team who will always get 2/3 points most weeks, the last system was took off the players as they took the biscuit with their selections, the system before changed after Roby robbed Trent from it
— Gary Ormiston (@GaryOrmiston1) November 23, 2020
A man who carries his team to 6 wins out of 16 has been crowned man of steel. Some man eh. #manofsteel #superleague
— Bradley Hodgson (@BHodgson19) November 23, 2020
There is nothing more rugby league than a meltdown over who wins this award. He's a class player, say well done and crack on with your day #ManOfSteel
— nicola (@nicwid) November 23, 2020
Congratulations to Macca on winning Man of Steel. Fantastic player, absolutely committed to the cause, gives 100%, dynamic and versatile. Surprising but a top, top player nonetheless. #manofsteel
— Mark F (@Pleyndamour) November 23, 2020
#ManOfSteel that's a horrendous decision french has been by far the best player in the competition
— matt (@MDBWFC21) November 23, 2020
Chuffed for McShane, he's been consistently brilliant for the last 3 years 👍 #rugbyleague #manofsteel
— Mike Haigh (@MikeyHaighy) November 23, 2020
Official press release:
Castleford Tigers’ hooker Paul McShane is the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel for 2020.
He beat fellow contenders Aidan Sezer (Huddersfield Giants), Liam Farrell and Bevan French (both Wigan Warriors) and Saints’ Lachlan Coote to the highest individual accolade in the game.
Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Chairman Ellery Hanley MBE said: “The award deservedly goes to Paul McShane because he performs in every game he plays in.
“He is ‘Mr Dependable’ and everyone holds him in the highest regard.
“As a player, he consistently displays bravery, skill and athleticism.
“This is a man who wears his badge of honour in every action he delivers on the rugby league field.
“The phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’ fits Paul McShane perfectly.
“You only have to be in his company for three minutes to discover what a gentleman and first-class human being he is.
“We are so lucky to have him in our game.”
The full list of awards for the 2020 Betfred Super League season are as follows:
Top Tackler – Michael Lawrence (Huddersfield Giants)
Top Try Scorer – Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos)
Spirit of Super League Award – Rob Burrow and Mose Masoe
(Awarded to those who make a significant contribution to the sport beyond the field of play.)
Young Player of the Year – Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)
Coach of the Year – Adrian Lam (Wigan Warriors)
Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel – Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers)
Clarification on judging process for the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel 2020:
A number of changes had to be made to the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel judging process over the course of the season, given the disruption to the 2020 campaign caused by Covid-19.
There were advantages and disadvantages to selecting the winner based on either points accumulated, or on a points-per-game average, as was introduced in October.
Total points accumulated clearly favoured those whose team had completed more fixtures throughout 2020, while a points-per-game average format could favour those whose team had played fewer games.
Furthermore, without completing the full 22 rounds of the regular season, there were further inconsistencies regarding opposition.
For example, if a player played against teams in the bottom half of the table twice, but only once against teams in the top four then there is perceived advantage.
It is for these reasons that the Man of Steel contenders, who were the same five players on the leaderboard in both scenarios (total points and points-per-game), went to a final review by Man of Steel Panel Chairman, Ellery Hanley MBE.
The top five contenders were: Aidan Sezer, Paul McShane, Liam Farrell, Lachlan Coote and Bevan French.
For the Chairman to make a fair and informed decision on who should become the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel winner for 2020, their individual player statistics throughout the season were included in the report provided to Ellery Hanley.
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